Ominous Whispers
by lady pancakes
Summary: SMxWK She found his bloody body while following a voice that called her name.
1. Prologue

Disclaimers: I own nothing here. In fact, I own very little.

Prologue: Midnight Encounters 

"I'm very sorry I didn't take you to a hospital." She gently told the prone form in her bed. "It's too far from here and I have no means to take you there." An unintelligible murmur escaped the man's lips as the surgical needle penetrated his skin. She nervously bit her lip and gently smoothed her hands along the man's furrowed brows.

"I know it hurts," she said as she prepared for another stitch, "this is the last one." One last time, she pierced his bloodstained skin and closed the nasty gash along his muscular stomach.

With the back of her hand, she wiped the beads of sweat forming on her forehead. The action only resulted in her getting blood on her bangs and some on her forehead. She looked up at the ceiling and sighed in frustration.

"Men have always been trouble and you," she looked down at the bloody and bruised man she had just stitched up, "are no different."

She reached for the washcloth floating around in the basin, squeezed off the excess water and began the tedious task of cleaning the unconscious man up. As she did, she took notice of the man. He was an attractive one she supposed, with deep crimson hair, an elegantly shaped nose and a well-built body to match a very stern countenance. He also radiated an aura of intensity and veiled darkness making her wonder just who he was. He was no ordinary by-stander, that she was sure. No ordinary man would end up wounded in the steps to her shrine, in the middle of the night with a bloodstained sword in hand.

Although everything about him screamed 'danger' and even if she had harbored some sort of resentment towards men, she was not so coldhearted as to leave a man to bleed to death. Her grandfather taught her better- she was better than that.

Oddly enough, she found him while following a voice she thought was calling her name.

"Who are you?"

My First submission here. This is dedicated to _thebodyfarm_ who I think is backpacking somewhere in Europe (lucky girl!).

It's Rei/Ran. I'm a Schu and Youji girl but Dy(_thebodyfarm)_ has those grounds covered already.

Word Count: 333 (the story minus the author's notes)

Incredibly short, I know, but I like it that way.

Leave me a review, note…something…


	2. Koneko no Sumu Ie

Disclaimer: I don't know the characters. The only thing I can claim here for myself is the plot.

Thank you so much to those who took the time (maybe about a minute since the first chap was painfully short) to read this. The number of hits is astounding.

As for the reviewers… thank you so much for taking time to review me.

Ambiguity is good. Remember that.

I. Koneko no Sumu Ie

Exactly three days had passed since she had last seen the bloody stranger who stumbled upon her temple. He disappeared without a trace- not even a 'thank you' note. This, of course, made her wonder if the night had been real. If it was true that during those ungodly hours, she had been helping a man who was near death.

She woke up earlier that morning feeling exhausted and with a rather uncomfortable crick in her neck. What was more unusual, other than the fact that she slept sitting down, was that her precious, white yukata (one of the few possessions her departed other had left for her) was stained with blood and that beside her was a basin filled with reddish water. The realization finally dawned on her then. There was a man, a wounded one who was on the brink of death in her temple steps and she had been kind enough to help him. However, looking around her room, she found no one. An injured redhead was nowhere in sight nor was the dangerously sharp katana she remembered he had with him.

She painstakingly scanned the enormous temple for any sign of the mysterious man, but sadly, she found none. How could a man with a wound that severe disappear without a trace? And the audacity of the man! Leaving without so much a 'thank you' -for saving his life no less!

Rei continued to mull over the happenings of that night quietly as she walked together with her friends. Ami took it upon herself to start the interrogation.

"Is something wrong?" Her voice was barely a whisper but the other girls heard her and stopped walking, their heads turning to the raven- haired beauty expectantly. It was the continuation of their inquisition from yesterday. Yesterday, they got nothing. Today, Ami had a feeling that they still would get nothing.

It took her a while to realize that the question was for her. She gently shook her head and managed a ghost of a smile, "No, nothing's wrong."

The answer was anything but convincing. The girls knew that something was bothering her; they noticed that she was more indifferent than usual and that she was somehow inattentive. She was obviously keeping something from them, but they all knew that when there was something Rei didn't want them to know, there was no possible way on earth for them to pry it out of her. Her secrets remained just that- secrets.

Minako, ever the optimist, tried a different approach. "Ne, Rei-chan, did you have a fight with your boyfriend?"

Usagi nearly chocked on her juice, Ami and Makoto mentally slapped themselves on the forehead and Rei looked at the blonde as if she had sprouted a second head.

Count on Minako to ask the most irrelevant question.

The look she sent Minako, a faintly irritated and amused one, was answer enough. Her inquisitors, after two days of questioning and much to her relief, had finally given up. It wasn't as if she was the most loquacious of the group, that title was reserved for either Usagi or Minako. She was the quiet one who would snap once in a while when something irritated her. Other than the fact that her temper had not erupted, she was acting normal. Indifferent and aloof.

The walk continued with Minako leading them to God knows where and the rest of them following her suspiciously. It had not been so long ago that Minako unknowingly brought them to a Strip Club thinking it was an art museum. Rei had been furious, Makoto and Usagi merely stared at the building while shy Ami looked away sheepishly. But of course, the name 'Bodies of Art' is a name anyone could easily misinterpret. The group still seemed wary though. Minako's second-hand information was almost always unreliable.

"We're here!" Minako happily announced.

All four girls looked at the place Minako had led them and were slightly surprised that it wasn't anything out of the ordinary- well, not counting mass of women that were gathered at four different places.

"Minako, what kind of flower shop is this?" Makoto asked skeptically.

"Well, Miya-chan said the florists here are cute and that girls always gather here so…" She trailed off as Rei looked at her in disbelief.

"I have better things to do than look at men, Min-" Rei's prompt lecture on how utterly unnecessary their little escapade was, fortunately for Minako, cut off by someone's yelling.

"If you're not buying anything, get out!"

TBC…

In case anyone cares, _Cattleyas and Casablancas _is no longer going to be continued by Dy (thebodyfarm) but by me. Yeah, well, I dutifully accepted the task. We did kinda write it together and she is now unable to update because she's busy (boo, Dy, boo! You lie! I kid) and I love that fic to pieces plus I'd hate to see it die.

Next chap, they meet again. Will someone die though? I hope so. My fics have been kinda mushy lately so maybe…

Review, flame, whatever… feedback is very much welcome- anything helps. I also accept donations, in cash preferably- I'm broke XD


	3. Our Eyes Were Closed

**Disclaimers: Standard ones apply **

**II. Our Eyes Were Closed**

A very irritated voice echoed throughout the flower shop, "If you're not buying anything, get out!" Most of the women present, Rei and her friends included, visibly cringed- somewhat intimidated.

"You're so mean, Aya-kun!" Wailed a petite blonde in s skimpy schoolgirl uniform.

"We are here to buy something!" Another doting schoolgirl said.

Rei, appalled by the sheer rudeness of the florist, turned around, brushed by her friends and left without a word. She had no time for such frivolous things!

The presence of so many women in the shop made her want to weep for womankind. How low her sex has fallen; swarming around men and worshipping them like gods. She scoffed at them- disgusted by their display of wantonness.

"Rei-chan!" Minako shouted, her head popping out of the flower shop door. "Where are you going?"

"I really have better things to do, Min-" At that very moment, she saw- although not quite clearly- a familiar head of red hair popping out from the sea of women. From where she stood, outside the shop, he was in her peripheral vision and even if most of what she could see was only the back of his head and the head of prepubescent girls, she had a feeling that he was the one she had been looking for.

_Mr. Swordsman, will I finally get to see you?_

_I've yet to see your eyes._

_

* * *

_

Aya visibly cringed. Even after months of having to put up with their so-called fans, he still wasn't used to the attention. Did these girls not have any homework to do? Did they not have boyfriends? Why must they flock around them and make working next to impossible?

"If you're not buying anything, get out!" He bellowed angrily and desperately. His now infamous one-liner had lost its touch. None of the girls had left, if anything, they became even noisier.

He simply couldn't stand it! Briefly, he wondered how Youji could stand these women. His gaze darted over to the tall blonde; he looked suave, comfortable and a little too cocky not to mention, he was not working. Then again, Youji never seemed to be working.

Expertly, he tucked the final flower in place. The bouquet was a sight to behold; fully bloomed red roses delicately intertwined with the most divine of white roses- it was virginal yet stained and it reminded him so much of the benevolent miko who helped his nearly dying self. White and pure stained with blood. It was the picture he woke up to- an angel in white stained with the blood of a killer.

Dying had not been on his agenda when he went to his mission that night but he underestimated the enemy and he got himself wounded. He walked as far as his weary legs could take him but he had lost too much blood. The last thing he recalled was feeling a sense of euphoria. He would then wake up to the sight of an angel- one stained with his vile blood.

_A bloody angel whose eyes I've yet to see._

He pushed the thought away and picked up the delicate arrangement he had been slaving on and decided that it would be best to ignore the women and try his very best to continue working. With his precious arrangement in hand, he stood up and suddenly froze. Someone- not among the women around him- was watching him. There was an odd feeling at the pit of his stomach; something was terribly wrong.

Aya turned around, still a bit wary and then…

Amethyst eyes…

They had the same eye color…

A rare shade of violet…

"Fuck."

_My bloody angel and I have the same eyes…_

TBC

**A/N**

**I'm probably going to be revising this but for now, I'm happy.**

**SHAMELESS PLUGGING** here as well: lol… I've added another chapter to what used to be Cattleyas and Casablancas. Its now 'Bitter Solace' and the latest chap is out. Read it too, please?

Suggestions/flames and whatnots… say it in the review, okay? It's not like I get money for every review… jeez… I'm still as broke as hell. So if you please.


	4. It's Cold Outside

Disclaimer: Still broke. Still accepting donations. Still own nothing but the plot… Although if I owned Weiß, I would tie Aya/Ran to a post, if only to ogle at his awesome bishiness. Oh, and Youji would have his own pole too... And Schu-chan. And my world will be full of tied down Weiß bishies! Go me! XD

**II. It's Cold Outside**

Meditating in front of the sacred fire had always calmed her. The flames would gently soothe and ease her troubled mind. Unfortunately for Rei, the fire offered no comfort that night. If anything, it confused her even more. Random imaged kept flashing- unfamiliar faces, a girl, fire, a car. She saw the mysterious redhead smiling with a pretty, dark-haired girl pulling at his hand, calling him 'Ran'. She did not know what to make of them. There was also something ominous in the fire, she knew- she felt it. And then came a flash where she saw herself, the mysterious swordsman and blood.

"Tonight will be very eventful. Can you feel it, Phobos?" She asked the crow perched on her right shoulder.

The bird merely cocked its head and flew away.

Later that night, she lay on her quaint cot. She tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep. The images in the fire and the feeling of foreboding kept her up late into the night. She sat up, annoyed at her sudden insomnia.

_Mr. swordsman, this is your fault._

She knew he would come for her. She recognized him at the flower shop and when she did, he looked none to pleased about it. She would have marched back inside to where he was working and demanded answers she was entitled to, but she didn't. She did not want to make a spectacle of herself. Her friends were suspicious enough. Before she walked away from the flowershop, she saw him looking at her. That's when she knew it didn't matter if she didn't walk back in to speak to him- he would come for her.

In that instant, she felt it- an unfamiliar aura that she knew could only belong to him. Rei sighed in helpless resignation, maneuvered her way through the darkness and went outside- to where she could feel he was waiting.

His trench coat was the first thing she saw, then the menacingly long sword. He turned to face her and spoke. "You know who I am. You know what I do."

Rei stood her ground. She raised her head and looked him straight in the eye. "What are you going to do about it, Ran?"

He went from shocked, to confused and back to shock again. Even Weiß didn't know his real name. No one has called him that in ages. When the shock subsided, he looked at her, his expression a mixture of anger and confusion. "How did you…"

"The fire tells me things. I suppose the girl and the car has something to with you." Rei tried her best to seem unfazed by the man in front of her. She walked towards him, determined not to let his intense gaze get the best of her.

He was silent.

_Girl? Car? Aya… How did she know?_

"I guess they do." She continued to speak, "I also saw a faceless swordsman… and I saw myself. There was blood." Her amethyst eyes met his, challenging him.

Aya held her gaze. A part of him was pleasantly surprised by her boldness, the other part was annoyed- he never was a fan of mind games. He looked at the petite woman in front of him and contemplated on his next move- he was at a complete loss. He came without a plan- it was an impulsive and stupid action on his part. What was he going to do exactly? She wasn't a target. Hell, she saved his damn life.

"I don't kill the innocent."

Now it was her turn to be confused. She was sure he was out for blood- her blood. But now, he sounded confused himself- lost. Rei cocked her head to the side and asked, "Then why are you here?"

"You know who I am."

She sighed exasperatingly and looked at him pointedly. "That doesn't answer anything." She asked again, gentler this time, "Why are you here?"

He turned away from her gaze; it was too intense, too demanding. He wasn't sure how to handle it. The petite woman had fazed him- and worse, he was lost.

_Why AM I here?_

"I don't know."

Despite having her precious sleep disturbed and despite all the confusion he had caused, despite his ungratefulness, Rei walked to where the man stood until she was only an arms length away and smiled. "It's cold. Come inside, I'll make tea."

**TBC**

---

**A/N**

Forgive, forgive. I wanted to update sooner but I got stuck with the story. Not to worry, I have the last two (?) chapters in the works, so I will update sometime next week. D I suppose this story is coming to an end… or not. I dunno. Fanficland is mysterious and full of cliffhangers and unexpected twists.

**Questions? Flames? Review?**

Oh, and I was hella serious about the Aya & Youji post thing. P

To those who read my other fic, Love's Game: Poker, it will be updated in two days, methinks. It will be full of Rei/Kaidou interaction.


	5. Unconventional

Disclaimer: Standard ones apply. Broke. Own nothing. Broke. Right.

**IV. Unconventional**

He sat in front of a low table and stared at the sword on the tabletop. He wondered what kind of woman would let a man who she obviously knows is a killer inside her house.

_Either brave or crazy… or both._

Aya had never been so confused in his life. What exactly was he going to do about the situation? Why did he, of all things, come inside her house and accept her offhand tea invitation?

Before he could begin to think of the answers, he heard faint footsteps and smelled chamomile.

A pale hand and a steaming cup of tea were suddenly in his peripheral vision. He looked away from his sword for the first time since he had come inside her temple and looked at her.

"How's your stomach?" She asked.

When he didn't answer, she walked over to him and tried to pry his shirt off to see the wound.

"What are you doing?" He demanded angrily.

Rei glared at him and snorted indignantly. "I was asking how your stomach is, but since you didn't answer, I'll just have to check it myself."

He pushed her hands away and glared. Why was he even there? "It's fine."

Unconvinced by his answer and unfazed by his apparent rudeness, she persisted and batted away the hands that were batting hers away. "You didn't pull a stitch or something, did you?"

"What?"

Rei looked at him disbelievingly. "Just let me see the damn wound!"

* * *

After that night, it started.

It was an unconventional relationship- he was the wounded soldier and she was his Florence Nightingale. Their meetings would always be during ungodly hours of the night, when he was fresh from a mission. She could always sense him; she knew exactly when he would come. He would walk quietly towards her room and find her sitting outside, leaning against a wooden pillar- always ready, always waiting.

He trusted her. She trusted him.

He was amazed by her bravery and kindness.

She was amazed by his bravery and dedication to his cause.

For two very reserved people, they talked a lot- considering. He knew things about her that most people didn't- he knew about her father, her past, the reason behind her aloofness. In turn, she knew about him- his past, his sister, Takatori. She never really asked, but somehow, she just knew and he was fine with that.

* * *

Rei shook her head and smiled when she saw Aya emerging from behind the shoji screen, his clothes in tatters. "You get injured quite often, don't you?"

He was silent.

She stood up and ushered him in. "Don't bleed on my sheets."

Aya shot her a glare that she just waved off. Rei retrieved her always-ready, always-used first aid kit and sat beside the injured redhead. She surveyed him, looking intently at the many cuts on his trench coat. He was bleeding through his clothes and onto her new, impeccably clean, white sheets. Rei sighed in helpless frustration. Why did she use her clean white sheets? Why did he have to bleed so much?

"Just a couple of scratches." He said off-handedly,as he took off his ripped trench coat and shirt.

As soon as his torso was bared, Rei could clearly see the many tiny scratches left all over his body. Her eyes focused on one particularly large 'scratch' on his right shoulder. "That," She pointed to said 'scratch', "looks painful."

Injuries were inevitable in his line of work. The deep cut on his shoulder, as well as the tiny scratches in his body was caused by broken glass- millions of broken glass that have embedded themselves onto his body. He managed to remove some of the glass and in the process, cutting his fingers.

"It is." He admitted. When she did nothing and just continued to stare fixatedly on his wound, he brashly asked, "Are you going to fix it, or will you just gawk at it?"

"That was a long sentence." She said, unaccustomed to Aya speaking more than two words, and finally looked up.

Aya snorted.

"Are you sure you don't want to go to a hospital?"

He thought about it, but decided against it. Going to a hospital would be too risky- which was why they tried, as much as possible, to not get injured. His cuts were nothing, really. Just tiny, barely noticeable gashes, save for the large one on his shoulder.

"Too risky."

Though she knew there was more to it than that, she decided to drop the subject. Besides, she was just as good as any hospital- and, her services were free. "I see." Rei then started the tedious task of dressing the many little cuts on Aya's body. "How does it feel?"

"It stings."

Rei glared. Count in Aya's one-track mind. "I mean killing… how does that feel?"

When he didn't reply, she momentarily stopped dressing his cuts and looked up at him. "Aya?" She promted.

He met her stare, and when he found her gaze too intense, he looked away. "Are you going to preach to me about how killing is wrong?"

She shook her head. "No. You already know that. I just want to know how it feels for you."

"Satisfying." Came his quick remark.

"How so?" She asked again.

"You're talkative tonight."

"So are you." She said as she finished dressing his largest cut. When the gauze was finally in place, she breathed a sigh of relief and smiled contentedly. "All done."

"Thank you."

She wasn't entirely sure, but she swore she saw the corner of Aya's lips lift in an attempt to smile. Rei mentally shook her head. Who was she kidding? Aya never smiled. Aya never even grinned. The day Aya smiled, she surmised, would be the day when her father remembers her birthday.

Rei got up, tidied herself up and glared at her once pristine white sheets.

"You should really get me new sheets. It's hard to wash blood off."

"I will."

* * *

**TBC…**

**A/N**

Quite long considering the circumstance. :P I apologize again for the lateness of this chapter. God, I've been so busy with school.

I swear on my almost empty wallet that I will upload the next chapter soon (in 3-4 days). As for Love's Games II: Poker, well, I'm working on it, ok? It's just that I have Law and taxation and some other shit and I really have to study lest I want to embarrass myself with a pathetic little grade.

Now… Yeah… Things are happening quickly, ne? Did you catch up? They're friends now. Lol. Well, maybe not friends but more than just acquaintances. Like the tittle says, Unconventional. YEY

_thescientist- Dy (thebodyfarm)_ wanted me to threaten you since she's incapable of doing it herself right now. So yeah… In her own words 'Update that damn fic or I will hunt you down and dismember you in the most painful way imaginable' end quote. Lol

**THANK YOU TO ALL THE REVIEWERS!!!**

**Edited: 'scratched' was supposed to be 'scratches' and 'to' was supposed to be 'too'. Damn typos. **


	6. Lilies

Disclaimer: Yeah, yeah…

**V. Lilies**

April 17…

Youji never made things easy for him- if anything, he was an inquisitive prick who wouldn't stop until he got what he wanted. At the moment, what Aya wanted was in his comrade's grasp- they keys to his Porsche.

"This doesn't seem like you, Aya."

It wouldn't help if he glared, he knew. There were only two possible ways to shut Youji up: 1. Lie convincingly- something he was never good at or, 2. Tell the truth- something he would never do given the circumstance.

So Aya did the only possible thing he could do, he shoved Youji, quickly snatched his keys, picked the flower arrangement from the counter and made a beeline for the door.

"Oi! Aya!"

* * *

He walked up the seemingly familiar steps with a bouquet of Casablanca lilies in hand.

Aya took in the surroundings, realizing that what he could make out during the night was nothing compared to what he could clearly see in daylight. He could finally clearly see the steps that lead to the temple, the torii, the cherry trees, the pristine courtyard, and of course, the temple. It was immaculate, calming and so serene that he, a glorified killer, felt unworthy to set foot on the holy ground.

* * *

Another light breeze blew away her pile of cherry blossom petals and scattered even more petals onto the courtyard. Her attempt at keeping the courtyard clean was hopeless- the wind was not cooperating with her at all.

Before she could agitate herself further, her beloved pets started to caw. She knew they were trying to tell her something. She turned around to find out what her beloved pets were fussing about and when she did, she found a familiar head of red hair and what seemed to be a bouquet of her favorite flowers.

Rei dropped her broom and walked towards the steps, to where an unmoving Aya stood. "Florist by day, assassin by night?" She raised her eyebrow and suppressed a laugh.

* * *

He was sure his eyebrow twitched.

He had always wanted to address that problem to Manx. There were 10 million other possible undercover jobs out there. Why did they have to be florists? To him, it was the most random undercover job for contract killers- it was just wrong. They could have been contractors or anything- heck, they didn't need an undercover job.

"Well? Are those for me?" He found Rei standing right in front of him, eyeing the flowers he had in his hand.

He shoved the flowers in her hand without a word. Her little barb still had him fuming a bit inside.

Her expression softened as she opened and read the card. Her beautiful amethyst eyes looked up at him as she said, "Thank you. Would you like to come inside? I have leftover cake and tea."

"I have to get back to work."

Rei looked at him disbelievingly. "Oh yes, those poor fangirls missing their beloved Aya-kun." She emphasized the 'Aya-kun' with a sickly sweet smile and puppy dog eyes. "Aya-kun, Aya-kun…"

* * *

"A birthday cake?" He asked, seeing the remnants of a 'happy' and 'birthday' on his slice of cake.

Rei nodded. "My friend made it. Good, isn't it?"

"It's your birthday?"

She nodded and quietly sipped her tea.

"I see."

Aya ate his cake, drank his tea in silence and stole glances at Rei occasionally. He had heard rumors about her, the man-hating priestess at Hikawa Jinja, from smitten schoolboys who would come to Koneko to buy flowers for said priestess.

He now knew why those schoolboys were so smitten. She was beautiful, he realized, more beautiful than he originally thought. Just like the temple, the Rei he saw at night was nothing compared to the Rei he was seeing now. At night, she was a blur- a beautiful blur illuminated by the dim lamplight. The Rei he was seeing now was beautiful, too beautiful and too perfect to be real.

She must have felt him staring because her head turned towards him, about to say something. Before she could say anything, the phone rang.

* * *

For as long as she could remember, people have always praised her beauty. She was beautiful and she knew that. She knew men stared, fascinated by her and her unusual amethyst eyes. She got used to it eventually. But the way he was staring unnerved her. His piercing violet eyes seemed to scrutinize every part of her being and for the first time in a long time, Rei blushed.

She wanted to say something, but before she could, the phone rang. Rei hurriedly excused herself and answered the phone.

When she heard his voice, she almost wanted to smile.

Almost.

"_Did you get them?"_

"Yes. Thank you."

-silence-

"_I can't make it tonight."_

"Of course you can't."

"_Rei, I'm sorry…"_

"It's fine, Kaidou."

"_Happy Birthday."_

"Bye."

Rei chewed on her lower lip and stared at the phone for the longest time. For some reason, Kaidou's offhand dinner cancellation didn't devastate her as much as she originally thought it would. Still mulling over her odd reaction, she walked back to where she had left Aya only to find that the space he occupied was now empty.

"Well, I never…"

* * *

**TBC…**

**A/N**

Again, I apologize for updating late.

Fine, I'll stop saying I'll update soon because I probably wont be able to. College is tough work, you know. God, I have so many tests and projects… I sincerely apologize.

So… Let's just assume that it's still April, okay? Happy B-day Rei-chan!

As for Love's Games… NO. I'll just keep my mouth (fingers?) shut lest I make another promise that I can't keep.

Review… whatever.

Thank you to all reviewers!


	7. Sakura

Disclaimer: yadayada

**VI. Sakura**

He wanted to give her something, it was only right. He was indebted to her.

He knew by now where to go to find her. He would navigate through the night and walk to where he knew she'd be sitting with her trusty emergency kit, waiting for him. That night, like the nights before, he found her sitting outside her room, leaning against a wooden pillar, her eyes closed. He didn't bother asking how she knew he was coming; he figured he would be skeptical if she told him.

* * *

Rei opened her eyes and gave him a once over. Oddly enough, he wasn't wearing his trench coat, nor was he lugging around that viciously long sword.

"You're not hurt?"

He shook his head.

"Why are you here?"

Aya purposely strode towards her, only then did she notice that his hands were rather full. He sat beside her and gave her everything he was holding.

"What are these?"

"Those are for you."

Her curious eyes scanned his presents briefly. Two white boxes and a cherry blossom. "Thank you."

He nodded and stood back up, ready to go back to Koneko, but was stopped in his tracks by Rei who was holding the hem of his shirt. "Stay."

"I can't."

"Work?"

"No."

"Then why not?"

"I… You see…" She was looking at him expectantly, almost pleading. There was no possible way he could refuse her. "Alright."

He sat back down and was rewarded with a genuine smile.

* * *

She opened the first box, the bigger of the two, and was pleasantly surprised to find still plastic-wrapped sheets. Her lips tugged upward, she hadn't expected him to be so thoughtful. Rei set them aside and smiled at him before excitedly reaching for the second box. Her nimble fingers hastily undid the red ribbon and ripped the simple gift-wrapper.

* * *

The way she opened his last gift almost made him smile. She looked like a child opening her presents on Christmas. He had to suppress the smile he knew was bound to show because he was Aya and Aya never smiles- at least not in public. Nevertheless, he was happy at her reaction. He had done good, he said to himself.

* * *

Her eyes went wide as saucers and she suppressed a squeal as she took out a lovely white yukata. "It's beautiful, Aya." She said wholeheartedly. It was a simple white yukata with delicate, hand-embroidered cherry blossoms.

"Thank you very much."

"It's nothing."

She held her new yukata close to her chest and sat, wordlessly contented. His gifts, his simple yet ever so thoughtful gifts meant more to her than all of Kaidou and her father's expensive gifts.

"Every year it's always Casablanca lilies, a white dress and dinner. Eventually, it was only lilies and a dress… Now, it's not even him buying the flowers. Time changes a lot of things, ne, Aya?" her eyes grew somber as she gently stroked a cherry blossom he brought her. When he didn't respond, she continued to speak. "Do you like lilies, Aya?"

"They smell of death and cheap perfume." He said bluntly.

She laughed. He never heard her laugh like that.

"I suppose they do. I used to love them though, but Kaidou and my father tarnished it for me. It was all they would ever give me. Year after year, I'd receive the same thoughtless gift. I choked on the smell and the sight, eventually I hated casablancas. They remind me of my father."

Her delicate fingers traced the delicate embroidery as she said, "Cherry blossoms are beautiful though. My grandfather planted the tree in the courtyard a very long time ago. He's gone now, but when I look at that tree, I see him and I can't help but smile." She looked up at Aya then, "I might not have casablancas anymore but I'll always have cherry blossoms."

"…"

Mistaking his irresponsiveness for boredom, she decided it was time for both of them to get some rest. "I'm sorry for taking your time."

"I should go."

"I'll walk you down."

They walked to the foot of the steps in silence. Just when they were under the torii, Rei stood on her tiptoes and gave Aya a little peck on the cheeks. The redhead looked at her in shock, Rei smiled at his reaction.

"Thank you… for everything."

"It's the least I can do."

"Don't feel obligated to give me anything." Her eyes grew somber and she reached for his hand. Giving it a gentle squeeze, she looked up at him and said, "I don't want you to be like my father or Kaidou- giving me things because they feel they're obligated to."

She let go of him then and walked back to the shrine.

* * *

**TBC**

**A/N**

I apologize for the severely late update. Life is crazy right now. I'm at my wit's end.

If I still have readers, well, thank you. And a big thank you to all the reviewers! I'm such a slacker. I do sincerely apologize for that.

Forgive?


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